Lazise Churches: Santi Fermo, Rustico, and Historical Heritage

With Santi Fermo and Rustico, San Nicolò al Porto is the most beloved church among the people of Lazise. It is one of the two Christian temples not owned by the San Martino parish, at least until recently, before the latest concordat with the Holy See and the Italian State. The agreement, to clarify, was recently signed between the honorable Bettino Craxi and the cardinal Casaroli, both of whom have recently passed away.

Both churches display, in the triumphal arch at the entrance, the inscription C.L., which clearly signifies «Communitatis Lacisiensis», meaning property of the community of Lazise, understood as a civic community rather than a religious one, i.e., linked to the jurisdiction of the parish priest and therefore the parish of Santi Zeno and Martino. In 1571, when the municipality took charge of restoring the temple, it imposed its patronage rights with its coat of arms and the inscription C.L..

This note is well highlighted in the writings of Don Agostini in his book «Lazise nella storia e nell’arte» and in the works of pharmacist and scholar Francesco Fontana, recently published by the eponymous cultural association.